Preventative Care

Vaccinations

We are proud to offer vaccines from the safest manufacturers for your pets. We utilize the most up-to-date methods of administration to minimize the risk of vaccine reactions. We never dictate set “protocols” for vaccine schedules. Each pet will have a vaccine schedule tailored to that animal’s unique daily life and life stage.

Nail Trims

Many cat owners don’t realize that by simply removing the sharp tips of their cats’ nails, they can effectively remove the satisfaction and ability of most scratching behavior. Keeping the nails short, providing appropriate substrates for cats to practice normal scratching behavior on, and training them not to operate on inappropriate objects, are the cornerstones of a happy coexistence. If a nail trimming program is initiated early in life, many cats never feel the need to claw at surfaces and are not able to break the skin of people who are handling them. We will happily trim your cats’ nails, show you how to do it, and even provide trimmers for you to use at home. Most cats can be trained to accept nail trimming. During kitten visits, we trim the nails to get the kittens accustomed to this practice.

Softpaws – The Humane Alternative to Declawing

Declawing surgery, or onychectomy, is a surgical procedure that removes the last digit from the toes of a cat. This surgery is invasive, and is actually an amputation of the tip of the toe, requiring the need for post-operative pain medication and restricted exercise for up to 2 weeks after surgery.

While we will in some cases perform the surgery when behavioral training is ineffective, this surgery is often unnecessary if cats are trained that certain behavior (such as aggressive play, scratching, etc) is inappropriate. If your cat has a scratching habit which is not able to be controlled with training, there is an alternative to declawing him/her.
Softpaws are soft plastic tips that are applied with adhesive to the trimmed natural claws. They stay in place about 8 weeks, and then can be replaced by you or by us! You need to trim the nail growth before re-applying the Softpaws.

With continued Softpaw use, the cat sometimes forgets to scratch or use the habitual inappropriate behavior. The cat may not need Softpaws for life, in this case.

Here is a video on YouTube illustrating how simple and non-painful it is to apply Softpaws.

Heartworm Prevention

It is unfortunate, but heartworms are endemic to most areas of the United States today. Spread by mosquito bites to our pets, this parasite causes lung and heart damage and can be fatal, especially in cats.

Once thought to only be a major risk factor to dogs, cats are also known victims to this parasite. It is not curable in cats, due to the damage from lung inflammation which ensues, so it must be prevented!

We will be happy to discuss testing, treatment, and prevention for your pets. Monthly preventative medication is strongly recommended for all pets, indoor or outdoor, since mosquitoes, which spread the disease, are found everywhere. Please visit the American Heartworm Association for more information.

Fecal Parasite Screens

It is part of every annual exam to test a fecal sample for parasites. Unfortunately it is possible for some intestinal parasites to be zoonotic, or transmissible to humans from pets. Especially in homes where children, the elderly, or immune-suppressed individuals live, pets should be checked and/or treated annually per recommendation by the CDC.

Packages for Puppies and Kittens

Plans include:

3 full physical examinations (one every 3-4 weeks)

Series of vaccine boosters for distemper

Rabies vaccine

2 routine dewormings

2 fecal parasite screens

Initial doses of heartworm and flea/tick preventatives

Puppies and kittens provide hours of entertainment, and they require some special vet care.

We offer a preventive care plan which provides a deeply discounted series of examinations for puppies and kittens to be sure your new arrival gets the proper vaccinations and preventive care. We realize that welcoming a new family member can get costly, so these packages give a discount off our “a la carte” services and help to get your new arrival off to a healthy, happy start.

Along with these visits, we monitor for congenital defects and check for proper growth and development, as well as educating you, the owner, on basic pet care.
We’ll gladly demonstrate nail trims, teeth brushing, ear cleaning and other techniques to help out.
We also provide reading material to help with basic care and information about products such as microchips, food, insurance, etc.
The series of visits also provides you with the chance to ask some of the many questions you will have about behavior, basic pet care, and helping a new pet feel at home.

Packages for Senior Pets

Thankfully, better diets, closer proximity to owners, and concerned veterinarians are ensuring that our pets live longer these days. At Palisades Veterinary Clinic, it is recommended that our pets over the age of 7 years be examined every 6 months to catch problems early and to screen for common old-age illnesses such as kidney disease, dental disease, and cancer.

Physical exams are recommended every 6 months in pets over the age of 7 years since their bodies age more quickly than people. It is important to catch any problems early, just as in human medicine. Prevention is key.

Our Senior Care Package is designed for cats and dogs older the age of 7 years. This package includes a physical exam, analysis by cytology of any lumps and bumps, and full bloodwork and xrays. Pets can’t communicate the subtle changes they feel due to alterations in organ function or arthritis, but our lab and radiology results can.

Age is not a disease! This means there is no reason to not treat any curable or improvable condition simply because your pet is old by conventional terms. We wouldn’t count your pet out of the race simply due to the number of years under his or her collar!

Please call us to discuss our recommended arthritis and joint supplements, geriatric pet vitamins, and the best quality food for your pet.

We also offer holistic advice and acupuncture referrals, as well as cataract evaluation in-clinic.

Dogs can also suffer from cognitive dysfunction or dementia as they age. Please tell us immediately if you see the following symptoms: